2017 NFL mock draft: Live updates for NN community draft, round 2

Welcome to the Niners Nation 2017 NFL mock draft. We’ve brought together 32 site members to potentially go through a full seven rounds of the 2017 NFL Draft. I say “potentially” because 253 picks is a lot to get through, even with a month remaining until the draft. But, fingers crossed we power through this.

We moved through round one well, and things are humming along in round two. I’ve posted the complete round one results at the bottom of the page. You can view each person’s pick rationale here. The Browns and 49ers picks are in for round two, and both count a quite intriguing!

33. Cleveland Browns - Joe Mixon, RB, Oklahoma (Davidss)

By all recent accounts Mixon will be selected somewhere between the late first and early second. Cleveland needs a dynamic running back to complement their outstanding offensive line.

Mixon is the most talented RB in this class. He has "off the field issues". He is worth the roll of the dice with a second round pick especially since the Browns have the most draft capital is this draft and most likely the next draft. Remember, the Browns are not trying to compete next year with their gapping holes at QB and DB. They are trying to add top end young talent that completes each other.

You could argue the Browns have selected the best edge rusher (Garrett), the best WR (Williams) and the best RB (Mixon) in the entire draft with their first 3 picks. Not bad.

Others considered: Alvin Kamara, Ryan Ramczyk, Evan Engram

34. San Francisco 49ers - DeShone Kizer, QB, Notre Dame (Joe Montana is GOAT)

Tough choice with the likes of Evan Engram, Zay Jones and Curtis Samuel who would be great offensive weapons but I'm taking a shot here with DeShone Kizer. If he was here come the second day of the draft, I think he would be too tempting to turn down.

If some of you have seen that video of all the cliches then prepare yourself, Kizer is a “raw” QB who is a good “athlete” with a “big arm” and he also has very “high football iq,” at 34 he seems like a “steal.”

But seriously, Kizer from what I've seen personally (from interviews etc, I suggest you watch some) sounds like an incredibly smart kid who understands football, he picks everything up quickly, has a very good deep ball, is a leader and he has the highest ceiling along with Mahomes (who needs more work than any QB prospect ever). Kizer needs work when it comes to his accuracy , decision making and to be honest with you, every QB should be improving that anyway just look at Brady this year who looked better than ever at 40.

So with Kizer, we have a smart kid, with all the physical tools to become a very good QB, he just needs to improve on some things and don't be surprised if he even beats out Hoyer to start Week 1 because I do believe he is good enough to do so but in the long run sitting for a year or two could be better for him.

35. Jacksonville Jaguars - Dion Dawkins, OG, Temple (riqv)

This was a toss up between Dawkins and Engram, both positions of need. Dawkins will fill an immediate need at RG (assuming Cann stays at LG where he performed better) and may fill an eventual need at OT.

36. Chicago Bears - Budda Baker, S, Washington (Rowingdave)

Budda Baker dropped out of the first round for one reason: he's not tall. Size matters in the NFL, but of all the safeties receiving Earl Thomas comps this year, Baker is clearly his most approximate doppelgänger. 4.4 speed, incredibly fluid hips/change of direction, and closing acceleration to the ball help, but his instincts reading the quarterback and his ability to be a true threat in the box and off the edge make him the special player he is. I don't see him dropping out of the first round, and the Bears would have quite the haul with Baker and Solomon Thomas in the first 36 picks. With another high third rounder and two high fourths, the Bears are positioned to continue adding elite athleticism to their roster.

Although the Bears seem to have decent depth at ILB, I was very tempted to nab Jarrad Davis from Florida; he's had injuries, but sure looked like the best LB in the draft at his pro day. The Bears couldn't have gone wrong with Chidobe Awuzie, either, but Baker is a special player.

37. Los Angeles Rams - Evan Engram, TE, Ole Miss (ak4niner)

First off, thanks to the previous GM for Goffing my first round pick. My pick is Evan Engram, TE, Ole Miss. The Rams have lost pass-catching talent. Even with getting Woods, the only other name is Austin. Evan Ingram is a great pass-catcher that is also a decent blocker. With the talent on this offense, Engram will become an instant starter and will fill a hole.

Other considerations:

Raekwon McMillan, ILB, Ohio State. This was a tough one since there is a need for ILB talent as well. I went back and forth. However, the offense is worse than the defense, so that was my deciding factor.

Curtis Samuel, WR, Ohio State. A speedster that can catch; almost a Percy Harvin type. Would be a great addition, but with his smaller size am concerned a bit more about injuries.

Cam Robinson, OT, Alabama or Ryan Ramczyk, OT, Wisconsin. Also a tough decision. Yes, more OT talent is better, but the Rams have some young talent there already. TE was the weakest position, and I decided to fill that role.

38. Los Angeles Chargers - Cam Robinson, OT, Alabama (Blackout52)

After coming this close to selecting Robinson with the No. 7 pick, somehow he's still here with the 38th pick. And now, it's a no brainer. Robinson is the best offensive lineman in this class and has an extremely high ceiling. Robinson can immediately come in and provide an upgrade over former LT King Dunlap.

Others considered: QB Patrick Mahomes, S Obi Melifonwu, RB Alvin Kamara

39. New York Jets - Ryan Ramczyk, OT, Wisconsin (Rhardin49)

Rated as prototypical NFL LT - most had him going in teens or early twenties of Round 1. He is solid, strong, can move, had great development as Wisconsin lineman. Jets badly in need of a serious Oline upgrade and he will slot right in at RT immediately and contribute and likely soon move over to be a very good LT. Very high value pick.

Considered:

- 1) QB Patrick Mahomes, but the Jets already have multiple young qbs they need to give an opportunity to.

- 2) Secondary/CB's were another thought Quincy Wilson or Awuzie or Witherspoon all either 2nd tier cbs or potential slot guys or in need of too much development time.

- 3) UConn safety Obi Melafonu - also was tempted and considered, but Jets just took blue chip safety Adams with first pick, too much duplication for a team in a ton of need for help.

40. Carolina Panthers - Alvin Kamara, RB, Tennessee (BryKno)

It came down to Kamara or Michigan's Jourdan Lewis. The Panthers lost Josh Norman last offseason, and had terrible trouble covering receivers last year; they ranked 23rd in DVOA against opposing top corners.

However, Lewis is an undersized corner ideal for the slot, and the Panthers just signed Captain Munnerlyn, who fills that role. So, instead, we're going to get a rotational back and eventual replacement for 30-year-old Jonathan Stewart in Kamara. Kamara had a great showing at the combine, leading all running backs in the vertical and broad jumps. His 40 time wasn't that impressive (just a 4.56 for a speed score of 99), but that's what makes him a second-round pick and not a first-rounder. He was very productive, and has value as a slot receiver and punt returner, making him a replacement for the departed Ted Ginn, as well. I worry about his durability, but he doesn't need to start right away, and the Panthers can use the next few seasons to evaluate him as an every-down back before Stewart implodes.

Other players considered:

Jourdan Lewis, CB, Michigan -- A slot corner isn't Carolina's biggest need with the addition of Munnerlyn, but I want to come out of the draft with at least one addition to the secondary

Teez Tabor, CB, Florida -- Sluggish at the combine, and even worse at his pro day, but he was in the conversation for the first round before that, so talent is definitely there.

Zay Jones, WR, East Carolina -- The most overrated receiver in the draft, per Playmaker score! You don't want college possession receivers; you want playmakers. Still, Carolina lost Ginn, so I had to at least consider the wideouts.

41. Cincinnati Bengals - D’Onta Foreman, RB, Texas (Typecast)

OC Ken Zampese is pretty flexible when it comes to the type of running back he's looking for. The only box Foreman really doesn't check is the "receiver" element, but Texas never really asked him to be that type of back. He's what the Bengals want from Jeremy Hill, someone who is adept at running from the gun and behind a zone scheme. There are concerns with fumbles (played much of last season with a broken hand) and the stress fracture, but he'll be a complimentary back to Gio Bernard.

Others considered:

RBs Joe Mixon, Alvin Kamara, Dalvin Cook - I had these 3 ranked ahead of Foreman. Zampese is open to the idea of having a group of backs that all play with the same style as Gio.

QB Patrick Mahomes - Only if McCarron gets traded.

LB Raekwon McMillan - The coaching staff seems really adamant that they like what they have for starters and immediate depth. If I were making this pick based on what I would do and not what Mike Brown would do, McMillan would have been the selection here.

42. New Orleans Saints - Raekwon McMillan, LB, Ohio State (Fred Mercury)

McMillan has room to improve defending the pass as well as rushing the passer, but he is a very solid run stopper. The Saints didn't give up a ton of rushing yards last year (92.8 avg). However, I thought the Saints could use an infusion of talent at the linebacker spot as they don't currently have any standouts. Along with an already strong defensive line, McMillan can help the front seven clamp down on opponents' rushing game. McMillan should be able to come in and compete for (if not win) a starting spot at linebacker (a move to the SAM position might be the best fit).

Also considered: Obi Melifonwu, SS, UCONN, Curtis Samuel, WR, Ohio State

43. Philadelphia Eagles - Teez Tabor, CB, Florida (ejdrummond)

Explanation: A rare alignment of the BPA, who also addresses a severe team need. Tabor is a physical corner back, who excels in zone coverage. Prior to a poor showing, at the combine tabor was a consensus top five CB, slated to be selected in the middle of the first round. Tabor is at his best when he playing with his eyes in the backfield. He has good short area quickness a displayed closing quickness that was the best in college football. Tabor is a ball hawk first and foremost, but he is also a willing and capable tackler. The 4.63 40 times he posted at the NFL combine certainly raises questions about his transition to the NFL, However Tabor's game footage displays a much faster fluid player than his 40 time suggest.

Considered: Chidobe Awuzie

44. Buffalo Bills - Quincy Wilson, CB, Florida (O Liner)

Not as talented as his teammate Teez Tabor but tougher and shows all the signs he could be a valuable contributor at CB or Safety, with a competitive mindset that could give the Bills secondary the boost it needs, still dealing with the loss of Stephen Gilmore and Aaron Williams.

Other players considered: Josh Jones, Fabian Moreau, Obi Melifonwu

45. Arizona Cardinals - Obi Melifonwu, S, Connecticut (HarbaughalypseNow)

A CB like Chidobe Awuzie might be a more natural fit for Arizona, but Melifonwu's athleticism and size are truly rare. His out-of-this-world combine numbers are backed up by production at UConn. Not an elite coverage prospect, and the team did sign Antoine Bethea, but Melifonwu's talent and size win out.

46. Indianapolis Colts - T.J. Watt, Edge, Wisconsin (MichaelBR07)

Despite adding a few pass rushers over free agency, this position is still their weakest and in dire need of an upgrade. Watt is still scratching the surface of his potential and having the Watt brothers battle it out interdivisionally will be fun to talk about for the next 5 years.

47. Baltimore Ravens - Chidobe Awuzie, CB, Colorado (RinaldoPurrisimo)

He can start as the nickel corner but they need a healthy, large corner opposite Jimmy Smith. He fills a huge need and has a lot of value in the 2nd round.

Consideration: Wide Receiver help; Kupp, Godwin, and Zay Jones all look like good value here.

48. Minnesota Vikings - Jarrad Davis, LB, Florida (dumpster fire fan)

With the first pick in the draft for the Vikings, they select a player that will make an immediate impact. This selection is a case of best player available and filling a need, as Davis can step in right away and provide a massive upgrade to the aging Chad Greenway. The Vikings now possess a stellar cover man, and an imposing linebacking trio when Davis is put in formation with Eric Kendricks and Anthony Barr in the Vikings 4-3 defense. If Minnesota had had their first round pick, Davis could have been the choice there as well. With the ceiling that he has, Davis could turn out to be one of the biggest steals of the 2017 draft.

Other Considerations:

Montravius Adams: The Vikings may lose Sharrif Floyd to career-ending nerve damage in his lower leg. Defensive line depth is also a concern even if Floyd returns to full strength.

D'Onta Foreman: With the loss of Adrian Peterson, the Vikings need to find a star running back to help Sam Bradford and spell Latavius Murray.

49. Washington - Charles Harris, Edge, Missouri (AzSharksFan)

While pass rush wasn't one of my primary concerns going into this round I couldn't pass up on Charles Harris. He fits well as a 3-4 OLB and looks so quick and relentless on tape. Washington's run defense was at the bottom of the league but their defense overall was not great so I think this makes sense from a talent and scheme fit although maybe not the team's primary need. I see Harris as primarily a passing down guy at first in the mold of Aldon Smith but I don't know how much he would add as a run defender right now.

Other players considered - Patrick Mahomes, Tim Williams, Desmond King

50. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Josh Jones, S, NC State (BayAreaBOI)

With the help of Josh Jones, from NC State the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are improving significantly. Being a safety, he offers great assistance to the secondary position. However, having JJ Wilcox and Kieth Tandy penciled in as starters it would be wise to add another safety. Having Jones who is a guy who has a “chip on his shoulder” is determined to prove his skills to those who doubt him. Standing at 6'1 and 220lbs, he will help out in stopping the run. His speed and height make him an intriguing prospect at the safety position. Presenting amazing results with his workouts, he scored 4.41 40s, 20 reps, 37.5 vertical, and 132 board jumps. He is a big hitter looking to make impact plays. His over aggression is his downside. He may bit to hard on play actions but is something he can learn as he progresses. One can't teach size and speed but can teach him to control his reactions and how to read plays. Josh Jones will give the Buccaneers a safety who can help in the run game and has the speed to help cover the secondary.

Teaming Josh Jones, Marlon Humphrey, and Vernon Hargreaves together has great potential in producing a good young secondary. When looking at the depth chart, safety was necessary. I wouldn’t be surprised if they trade up to target Adams or Hooker in the first round. When your division has QBs likeMatt Ryan, Cam Newton, and Drew Brees it nessary to make sure your safeties have decent speed to help cover more ground. If you are determined to compete in this division, you need to ensure your secondary is a strength not a weakness. Adding Humphrey and Jones it should help the secondary and give the Buccaneers a good secondary with speed and size.

Other considerations I had was Ryan Anderson OLB, Carl Lawson Edge rusher, and Tim Williams OLB. Having them would give the Bucs a pass rusher they desperately need. At LB, they have Kwan Alexander and Lavonte David who are both good players, but adding someone to the duo, who can rush, would help them put more pressure on the QB.

51. Denver Broncos - Antonio Garcia, OT, Troy (Jonas Lima)

If a trade was possible i wouldve move up as soon as i saw Ramczyk get of the board to get TJ Watt or Jarrad Davis. But, since trades are not allowed i need to reach for a guy who probably would've been around in the third round. It's not news that Denver need help at the Offensive line and Garcia can help.

Garcia has good athleticism, awesome lateral movement and size to be a starting RT as a rookie.

52. Cleveland Browns - Patrick Mahomes, QB, Texas Tech (Davidss)

With the 52 second pick the Browns get a QB some expects have mocked as high as 13. Unbelievable Value! This pick is late enough the organization will have no issue taking Sam Donald or whoever else is perceived as the best QB in next years draft if Mahomes game doesn't translate to the NFL.

Do I think he will work out? I would rank the QB's Watson-Turbusky-Mahomes-Kizer, but that is not really important with this pick this late. Gives the Browns a "shot in the chamber" on finding that elusive franchise QB. At this juncture of the draft, if he only turns out to be a decent backup that is not horrible value.

Others considered: None, once Mahomes was still on the board.

Browns picks so far: Myles Garrett, Mike Williams, Joe Mixon, Patrick Mahomes

53. Detroit Lions - Tim Williams, Edge, Alabama (GreatOden’sRaven)

I've been looking to shore up the defense with a pass rush and an in the box safety. I think the addition of Williams to Peppers gives the Lions some pieces to work with. While some of the other outside linebackers are faster than Williams, his size makes for an intriguing prospect for Austin's defense. I think he plays with a hand in the ground from an OLB position and gets after the QB. I would have preferred to get Charles Harris but he went two picks too early. Either way I think its a talent and scheme fit for the Lions, which in the second round is all you can ask for.

Others considered: Ryan Anderson, Sidney Jones, Carl Lawson

54. Miami Dolphins - Dan Feeney, OG, Indiana (Camp Frogger)

The Dolphins became a run first team last year with the emergence of Jay Ajayii. PFF and Adam Case seem to differ on the effectiveness of Jermon Bushrod at RG last year (PFF rated him 69 out of 72 guards last year). The Dolphins also picked up Ted Larsen to suppository man the LG spot. I still believe they need help on the interior of their O-line, especially with Laremy Tunsil kicking out to LT next season. Feeneys fits the bill. The four-year starter should slot in perfectly into their ZBS offense, and will be their starting LG come week one.

Others considered: Carl Lawson, Caleb Brantley, Jordan Willis

55. New York Giants - Caleb Brantley, DT, Florida (86derps)

Having Caleb Brantley fall to the Giants in the 2nd round worked out great after having Cook fall to them in the 1st round. With Jonathan Hankins unsigned, DT becomes a position of need and Brantley should work out well for the Giants. Known to have a quick first step Brantley should be able to get penetration up the middle to compliment the Giants edge rushers.

Other considerations for this draft position were Jaleel Johnson and Jordan Leggett.

56. Oakland Raiders - Duke Riley, LB, LSU (TryAndCatchVD)

The Raider defensive unit had a big problem with passing yards last year. While it would make sense here to grab for the highest rated DB on your board, if I'm the Raiders, I look for an agile LB with good range to bolster both the run and the pass. Duke Riley is a guy who could figure in immediately.

57. Houston Texans - Carl Lawson, Edge, Auburn (TopFlightSecurity)

My thought here are simple I am following a plan of filling holes on this roster outside pass rush is one. Lawson has a history of being hurt far more often than not. I am banking on that being just bad luck. He fits the mold of what the Texans could use to create even more outside pressure. To go along with a healthy Watt and Clowney it should help hide holes or lack of experience at the safety positions . As you will see with my other possible picks there will be a red shirt guy and other guys to fill holes At OT,DL(interior), CB and safety. My plan is to address those later on in the draft.

Others considered:

Roderick Johnson, OT , Florida State
Desmond King, FS/CB, Iowa
Sidney Jones, CB, Washington (Team Redshirt)

58. Seattle Seahawks - Julie’n Davenport, OT, Bucknell (v3stige)

Unless the Seahawks plan on wasting Russell Wilson's prime years, OL must be addressed. Davenport is raw but brewing with upside. He has the elite size, length and athleticism teams clamour for out of an OT, especially for a LT. Needs major refinement with his technique, so he'll have to get coached hard by Tom Cable and company.

59. Kansas City Chiefs - Dorian Johnson, OG, Pittsburgh (JMichael39)

While there are a couple of more pressing needs in the Chiefs roster, OG is still high enough to warrant a round two pick. Johnson fits the Chiefs' blocking schemes and is an excellent interior run blocker.

60. Dallas Cowboys - Tarell Basham, Edge, Ohio State (MidnightSpecial)

Early on it seemed clear that the two biggest needs for the Cowboys are CB and pass rush. I hoped the board would fall favorably for these needs, and it has. With Conley in hand after round one, the boys in blue upgrade their DLine with Basham, a high effort, small school prospect with excellent measureables (6'4" 269, 4.7 40, 34" arms) and a great inside rip. As the MAC defensive player of the year, he looks like potential starter material as a 4-3 defensive end, with excellent quickness and power. The motor is there, although the hand technique shows up inconsistently, and those long arms need to be leveraged more often.

This decision really came down to Basham or Jordan Willis, who is freaky athletic but veeeeeery raw (nonetheless, I still expect he'll go quickly). I was also tempted by Chris Wormley, a strong inside defensive tackle whom I believe will also be a long term starter for some lucky team.

61. Green Bay Packers - Desmond King, CB, Iowa (HashtagMafioso)

Packers saw too much value in Tak this past round to address their biggest need - corner - instead, but are able to address the position here in round 2 with a fantastic talent and a great fit for their defense.

The 2015 Thorpe Award winner is solid in absolutely every single aspect of his game except for questions about him being able to play the deep ball and stay with speedier receivers. He's also not as tall/long as you'd like an ideal corner to be, but at 5'10 and over 200 lbs, he's not undersized by any stretch either.

King also ran a 4.52 at Iowa's pro day, quelling a lot of concerns many had for his deep speed. King will fit very well in Green Bay's defensive system, and he could even be used in a role similarly to another now-departed ex-Iowa corner in Micah Hyde, who was moved around to every position in the defensive backfield as a nickel corner, outside corner, or safety at times. King is a different build as a DB, but could function in the same role, playing safety or especially covering bigger WRs/TEs in the slot regularly (does well fighting through blocks and in run support)

62. Pittsburgh Steelers - Sidney Jones, CB, Washington (Fenderfreak81)

The Steelers honestly run this one to the podium. Pittsburgh is thrilled to have the University of Washington restocking an already good team's cupboards, so much so that they may hand first rounder John Ross the card with his teammate's name on it just so Ross can sprint the pick in with time to spare.

Watching Sidney Jones' tape against Oregon, Washington State, and watching him play USC live, I was impressed by a number of things. Most obvious was how often teams didn't even seem to consider going Jones' direction. They preferred throwing towards Kevin King (a first rounder in this draft) and others than target Jones. This is because Jones has very good ball skills; better than a top 5 pick last year, Jalen Ramsey, displayed in college or the pros. Another reason they avoid him is he can play man or zone very well and bait QBs into bad decisions, something I saw in my study of his film (which is admittedly amateur). Jones has great ability to feel the WR at his back while tracking the QB when playing man. Jones also did really well at reading a qb in zone, shutting down his side of the field with good body placement in the zone, and making up ground on offensive skill players. He also turned several turnovers into long returns and scores, showing great athleticism and speed on tape to go along with great length and coverage ability.

Downsides of Jones are that he seems to not consistently wrap up when tackling, and he obviously has the injury risk label now with no clues as to how he recovers from Achilles surgery. The tackling can be fixed, he seems willing to engage and come up to support against the run. Jones dives with his head down too much and throws himself rather than wrapping up, but like I said that can be improved upon. Can injuries be overcome, though?

I seem to be in the minority, at least on this site, in feeling that Jones shouldn't drop to the third round because of this injury. Truth is, this kid was close to an elite prospect at corner before his injury. I don't have the same fear many do that he won't come back to something close to that. First amongst my reasons for that belief is that it seems most of the Achilles injuries I can find in established pro athletes occurred in players 29 years of age or more. So stats on diminished capacity and viability after this injury are questionable as age could be a significant factor. Further, we've seen players like Kobe Bryant, Terrell Suggs, and Demaryius Thomas come back from this injury and play at all-pro levels. Even if the Achilles saps some of Jones' speed, he had some to spare and has enough intelligence and instincts to still be a very good pro.

Jones fits with the Steelers because they can afford to let him sit a year (I mentioned in my first pick that this team had a near top ten rated secondary last year) and jones can step in for old but still performing William Gay in 2018. They could also use corner depth, and someone across from Artie Burns to form a great tandem for years. In this draft Pittsburgh waited on corner in the first round hoping Jones would fall here, and we are pleased that he did.

On a side note: Jones, to me, also fits this rebuilding 49ers team well. As I said, sap some of Jones' speed and he's still got Richard Sherman wheels (Sherman ran a 4.56 or so at the combine). Jones is an academic 2nd team all conference, has high football IQ, is long, and has great instincts. He fits the Richard Sherman role in our new defense. We also don't need someone to "play right now" as some are saying. We need people who can "play at a high level" in 2-3 years when we are hopefully talented enough to be competitive.

For those complaining of a Baalke all injury team pick, you should think about why his gambles never worked. A large part of that problem was Baalke had a horrible assessment of which of these players was worth the risk. Marcus Lattimore didn't look like the same stud after his first knee operation. He looked like a 3rd rounder BEFORE that second knee injury. We took him, a RB, in the fourth. Tank was maybe our best draft value at the time of the pick in this strategy, yet he was projected around pick No. 20-28 healthy and we took him early second while injured AND we changed his position. Smelter was a fourth round choice of ours who would've MAYBE been valued in the fourth when HEALTHY. Redmond was a third rounder healthy that we took in the third injured. Noticing a trend? Risk wasn't worth the reward. Drop an injured player some to account for unknowns, of course, but drop them an appropriate amount in consideration of their top end talent.

Jones is likely the tenth to twelfth best player in this draft when healthy. Injured, he's still a value at 34 for the Niners (who don't need to be investing early in a bad QB class with so many other talented players available who can fill active roster holes) and he's a steal at 62 in my humble opinion.

63. Atlanta Falcons - Pat Elflein, OL, Ohio State (wiseguy545)

The Falcons’ only true weakness on offense right now is RG, with the retirement of Chris Chester. Elflein is a strong run blocker known for his toughness, leadership, and the right amount of nastiness on the field. Has the ability to play any interior OL spot. Should be a Week 1 starter.

64. Carolina Panthers - Jourdan Lewis, CB, Michigan (BryKno)

There are two things keeping Lewis out of the first round. One is his height, which is somewhat optimistically listed at 5'10". That's already baked into his draft position. The other is a pending domestic violence charge, something that happened post-Combine and is a very fluid situation at the moment. He's next scheduled to appear in court on April 12th, and obviously, this could tank his draft position. Or it could end up not mattering, as it does for Joe Mixon. Rather than speculate about a very active and very serious situation, which could range from being no big deal to making him utterly undraftable, I'll focus on his play on the field.

Lewis allowed just seven catches in 2016, thanks to excellent technique and fantastic athleticism. Despite his small stature, he's a physical player who isn't going to be a liability against the run, and has solid experience on special team as both a gunner and returner. He tracks the ball, has the quickness to keep up with the best receivers and has highlight-reel quality ball skills. If he was taller, he'd be a first round pick. Instead, he projects as a man-cover slot corner. The Panthers lost Josh Norman last offseason and never really replaced him; adding depth to their cornerback corps and helping a team that was 22nd in DVOA covering "other" WRs (think slot receivers) is a priority.

Other players considered: WRs JuJu Smith-Schuster and Zay Jones, to give Cam a weapon and replace the departed Ted Ginn

S Marcus Maye, an interchangable safety which may not necessarily fill a need but might well be the most talented player not yet taken.